slippery

adjective

slip·​pery ˈsli-p(ə-)rē 

slipperier; slipperiest

1

a

: causing or tending to cause something to slide or fall

slippery roads

b

: tending to slip from the grasp

a slippery fish

2

a

: not firmly fixed : unstable

b

: not precise or fixed in meaning : ambiguous, elusive

3

: not to be trusted : tricky

slipperiness noun

Synonyms

• furtive
• shady
• shifty
• sly
• sneaking
• sneaky
• stealthy

Examples of slippery in a Sentence

The trails were muddy and slippery.

Fish are slippery to hold.

The sign cautions: “Slippery when wet.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Down the other, a newer, more slippery pop-like strategy: atmospheric wordless music, some of it with tenuous-at-best connections to American jazz tradition, bolstered by trendsetting online publications. —Evan Haga, SPIN, 11 Apr. 2024

Additionally, the snowy action sequences — including chaotic downhill skiing and slippery car chases on ice — are among the very best in Bond history. —Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024

That doesn’t rule out slippery arrangements like the one in the invitation to an April 6 fundraiser being hosted in Palm Beach, Florida, by the Trump 47 Committee, the fundraising effort by the Trump campaign and the RNC. —Michelle Cottle, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024

This hand cream, which offers broad-spectrum protection, replenishes moisture with a combination of shea butter and avocado and jojoba oils without leaving a slippery feel. —Deanna Pai, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2024

The lack of visibility and slippery roads will make travel difficult to impossible at times. —Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024

Parma is a city of inventive door knockers and narrow streets that become belligerently slippery after one instant of rain, and racks upon racks of men’s underwear in innovatively bizarre cuts and fabrics. —Molly Young, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024

For now, road conditions are messy and slippery and commuters are encouraged to exercise caution. —Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 22 Mar. 2024

The precipitation may turn into rain from Sunday night into Monday, potentially making for slippery roads conditions. —Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 20 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

slipper entry 1 + -y entry 1

Note: As the earliest occurrence of slippery appears to be in the Coverdale Bible (1535, Psalm 35:6), it has been suggested that the addition of the suffix -y to the adjective slipper copies German schlipfferig in Luther's translation of the same passage (1534, present-day German schlüpfrig). The German word is ultimately from the same Germanic base as slip entry 5 (see Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology).

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing slippery

• slippery elm
• slippery slope

Kids Definition

slippery

adjective

slip·​pery ˈslip-(ə-)rē 

slipperier; slipperiest

1

: having a surface smooth enough to cause one to slide or lose one's hold

2

: not worthy of trust : tricky, crafty

slipperiness noun